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Topic: Land Warfare Blog Brand: The Buzz Region: Europe Tags: Armored Warfare, Challenger 3, Main Battle Tanks, NATO, Tanks, and United Kingdom UK Conducts Live Firing Tests on Challenger 3 MBT January 22, 2026 By: Peter Suciu
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Unlike other cutting-edge American and Russian tanks, the Challenger 3 will forgo an autoloader—requiring an extra crewmember, but theoretically raising its reliability.
The British Army’s future main battle tanks (MBTs) passed a significant milestone this month, with the completion of the first crew live firing of its new Challenger 3 tank. Rheinmetall BAE Systems (RFSL) conducted the latest trials at the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) Training Centre.
“This milestone reflects the benefits of the close collaboration between the Ministry of Defence and industry. The successful crewed firing of Challenger 3 demonstrates tangible progress in delivering the modernised main battle tank the British Army needs,” said Army Senior Responsible Owner, Mark Colley.
The recent trials also marked the “first UK firing of a newly developed Main Battle Tank in more than 30 years,” the defense conglomerate announced. Tests are ongoing on the Challenger 3, and have included remote operation followed by the crew firing, with RBSL personnel onboard.
“This is a hugely significant achievement for the Challenger 3 programme and a testament to the skill and dedication of the teams delivering it,” said Rebecca Richards, managing director of RFSL. “Firing the vehicle first remotely and then with a crew in the turret reflects the enormous amount of work that has gone into ensuring the design is safe, robust, and ready. This shows just how far the programme has progressed and marks a proud moment for UK armoured vehicle development.”
Additional tests will be conducted, with current timelines calling for the Challenger 3 to reach Initial Operating Capability (IOC) in 2027, and the entire force to be operational by the end of 2030. The IOC’s timeline has been seen as ambitious, with only two prototypes built by the end of last year, while six more were in various stages of production.
The Challenger 3 Is an Upgrade, Not a Whole New Tank
The British Army’s future armored workhorse was officially unveiled at last year’s Defence Vehicle Dynamics (DVD) defense exhibition at Millbrook Proving Ground, where it was touted as among the most advanced MBTs now in development. The MoD boldly suggested it will rival, or even exceed, Russia’s much-hyped T-14 Armata.
However, the tank isn’t a wholly new design, but rather a major upgrade and modernization of the existing Challenger 2 MBT—with existing tank hulls integrating advanced technologies and even a new turret.
Each Challenger 3 is protected by next-generation modular armor, including the Rafael Trophy active protection system (APS) and composite armor. The modular protection was developed by a team of “armor experts” at the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) with additional support from the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) and RBSL.
The MBTs are also being equipped with advanced communications, and the newly designed turret is armed with the powerful 120mm L55A1 smoothbore gun. Secondary armament will reportedly consist of a single coaxial 7.62mm L8A2 machine gun mounted to the left of the main armament. A 7.62 mm L37A2 machine gun can also be mounted at the commander’s cupola.
However, unlike the British tank’s modern counterparts—Russia’s T-14 Armata and the US Army’s newly unveiled M1E3 Abrams—the Challenger 3 won’t be equipped with an autoloader. Instead, it will retain an extra crewmember, giving it a crew of four (commander, gunner, loader, and driver) instead of three.
A total of 148 of the British Army’s Challenger 2s are currently scheduled to receive the upgrade, which could keep the MBTs in service into the 2040s.
Work on the modernization will be carried out by RBSL at its Telford factory in central England. The program highlights the “collaboration between Britain, her allies and respected vehicle systems suppliers across the UK and Europe.”
The Future of British Armor
There have been questions about whether 148 MBTs would be adequate to meet future demands of the British military, even as some military analysts have questioned the capabilities of manned armored vehicles on the battlefield, given the substantial losses the Russian Army has incurred in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Likewise, Western-made MBTs supplied to Kyiv’s forces, including the German Leopard 2 and the British Challenger 2, have been destroyed by Russian drones and man-portable anti-tank weapons.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.
Image: Shutterstock / Martin Hibberd.
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Источник: nationalinterest.org